Hydrocarbon-vapor burner



. PATENTED FEB.16,1904.

W. S. PROSKEY. HYDROGARBON-VAPOR BURNER.

APPLIOATIO N FILED MAR. 14, 1902.

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N0 MODEL.

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Patented February 16, 1904.

Pnrinvr OFFICE.

wiNrmLn soorr PROSKEY, orv OOALA, FLORIDA.

HYDRocARBoN-VAPoR BURNER.

SPEGIFIGATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 752,102, dated February 16, 1904.

Application filed March 14, 1902. Serial No. 98,152. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVINFIELD Soo'r'r Pnos- KEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Ocala, in the county of Marion and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydrocarbon Vapor Burners, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part -of the same.

My invention pertains to that class of apparatus in which a hydrocarbon oil is vaporized by the application of-heat prior to ignition and in which the vaporization is continued after the device isset in operationby the application of the heat caused by burning the vapor already generated. 1

My invention relates particularly to improvements in the vaporizer, in the preliminary burner for heating the vaporizer, and in the heating apparatus in which the vaporized oil is consumed. I p

In thedrawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of my improved furnace and vaporizing apparatus. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail, enlarged, of the vaporizer, 'sho wing its connections.

1 represents the casing of a boiler or other heating apparatus, which may be cylindrical, as shown, or of other form. The casing contains the hot-air lines 2, the space surrounding them being adapted to receive water, if desired. To one end of the heater is attached a furnace 3, space a being left between the boiler and the furnace for the insertion of ,the vaporizing apparatus 5. This space 4 also forms a firing-chamber. This vaporizer 5 is so constructed and arranged, as will be shown, that the vapor issuing from it enters the furnace 3 through a mixer 6 and passes upward through outlets 7 to the furnace-bed 8, which may be lined with asbestos in the well-known manner. 1 Air-intake tubes 9, open at the ends, may be providedin the furnace for supplying the necessary air for combustion, aswell-as for miX- ing with the hydrocarbon vapor, if necessary. The vaporizer 5 may comprise a plurality of intercommunicating concentric chambers, as

shown in Fig. 3, the hydrocarbon oil being delivered to the innermost from any suitable source through pipe 10, the supply being regulated by a valve 11. Thesefeatures of the vaporizer since they have been described and claimed in an application for Letters Patent heretofore made by me (Serial No. 28, 883, filed ent application. I

The vaporizer 5 is provided with a branch 12, through which the vapor generated issues. This branch or spout 12 has an orifice so placed that the issuing vapor enters the open flue 6 of the furnace 3. heretofore found in hydrocarbon-Vaporizers has been the clogging of the vapor-vents by particles of carbon or by impurities. In order to overcome this, I arrange aneedle 14, rotatably mounted, as on a bracket 15, so that its point is in the orifice or vent in the branch 12. This deviceis provided at or near its outer bearing 16 with a vane 17, which is rotated by One great difliculty .September i, 1900) I do not claim in the presthe impactof the vapor issuing from the vent.

Thus acontinuous rotation of the needle 14 is maintainedwhile the vaporizer is in operation, thereby clearing the vent of the accumulated particles of carbon, &c.', which otherwise would soon clog it. Any other form of cleaning device operated by the vapor issuing from the vent may be substituted for the rotating needle.

Connected with the source of hydrocarbon oil, as by a duct 18, controlled by a valve 19, is an auxiliary or preliminary heater, 20, which may be so placed and constructed as to heat the extension 12 of the vaporizer 5. The auxiliary heater is provided with a casing open at its forward end. It contains a tube coiled and bent back upon itself, as shown at 21, (see Fig. 1,) and a bed 22, of asbestos or equivalent material. It will be observed that the coiled tube 21 is so situated within the heat- The valve 19 is turnedso as to allow a small quantity of hydrocarbon oil to drip out of the pipe 21 upon the asbestos bed 22, where it is ignited. The flame will heat both the coiled tube 21, so as to vaporize the oil passing chambers 23 24: 25 thereof.

through it and make it ignite as it issues at the end thereof, the valve 11 being turned so as to admit oil to the main vaporizer 5. As the oil flows through the vaporizer 5'and into extension 12 in front of the auxiliary heater 20 it becomes vaporized and issues from the orifice into the chamber 6, thereby causing the screw or vane to rotate the needle 14. Through the open end of the flue 6 the vapor issues into furnace 3 and up through the ducts 7 to'the firing-chamber 4, where it is ignited, air being drawn as required into the firing-chamber through flues 9. As soon as this action has taken place the vaporizer 5 commences to act, the oil fed to it gradually heating to the point of vaporization as it flows through the several Thence it flows through the extension 12 and out of the orifice into the mixer 6. As soon as the vaporizer is in action supply may be cut off from auxiliary burner 22 by closing the .valve 19. A gauze or sheet-metal shield 26 may be located in front of the flue 6 to protect it from the flame of the auxiliary burner 20.

In the arrangement of parts illustrated my improvements are applied to a form of boiler which is particularly adapted to light engines, as for self-propelled vehicles. Nevertheless they are applicable to other forms of engine or to heaters, and some of them-as, for ex ample, the self-cleaning vaporizer (to which I attach the greatest importance)may be applied to other uses, as to heating incandescent mantles for illuminating purposes.

The construction and arrangement of the various parts are typical or conventional only, as they'are obviously susceptible of great variation without departing from the scope of my invention, so any other suitable form of auxiliary burner than that illustrated may be adopted without changing the action or relation of the remaining parts. The form and construction of the boiler are immaterial, and

the firing-chamber and furnace may be united, so as to'form a single chamber.

The advantages of having a selfbleaning device for the vaporizer-vent, such device being operated by the issuing vapor, are too obvious to need comment.

All the parts of my invention save only the asbestos beds of the furnaces may be made of sheet metal or metal tubing; but other mate'- rials not fireproof may be used for the exterior tubes and valves, if desired.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a hydrocarbon-vapor burner, the combination with a vaporizer having a vent-opening or discharge-orifice, and means for supplying liquid hydrocarbon to the vaporizer, of a needle rotatably mounted outside the vaporizer in line with the discharge-orifice having one end extending into said orifice, and a .vane on the needle in line with the dischargeorifice, whereby the vapor issuing from the vaporizer will rotate the needle to keep the discharge-orifice free from obstructions, as set forth.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a boiler, a firing-chamber operatively connected therewith, a hydrocarbon-oil vaporizer inserted in said firing-chamber andhaving a vent-opening beneath said firing-chamber and communicating therewith, and means operated by the vapor issuing from said vent for keeping the said vent free from obstruction, comprising a needle rotatably mounted outside the vaporizer in line with the vent-opening therein and having one end extending into said Vent-opening, and a vane on the needle, in line with the vent, whereby the vapor issuing from the vaporizer will rotate the needle to keep the vent-opening free from obstructions, as set forth.

- WINFIELD SCOTT PROSKEY.

Witnesses:

M. LAWSON DYER, S. S. DUNHAM. 

